The Unexpected
by toastiegirl
Summary: Set after the middle of 4.01. Follows Andy after seeing Marlo and Sam in the kitchen and her changing relationships with Nick and Sam.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my very first Fan Fiction, so please be open-minded! I am definitely open to thoughts/advice. I have a definite idea of where I want to go with this, but just recently got started.

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Andy felt a familiar and unexpected thud in her chest when she stood in the doorway of the kitchen at 15. Sam was kissing another woman. Her Sam. Just as it had terrified and winded her the day she took a bullet to the vest, this feeling went particularly deep. But unlike the bullet, this pain didn't ease. She continued to stare, waiting for her breath to steady and the pain to lessen- waiting for this not to be real. Her heart pleaded with her brain to wake from this nightmare. But as the doorway supported her increasingly heavy body, his eyes met hers and his sympathetic expression only confirmed this harsh reality.

She thought the worst was already over. Andy had pictured returning to work many times over her six months under cover, and it never looked like this. They had been through so much- it was finally supposed to be the perfect timing. I mean, before she left he finally told her loved her! He finally said the words that had never crossed his lips. Didn't that mean something?

She became aware of the raw emotions written across her face. Sam's sympathetic look didn't change. He said nothing. But what could he say that could possibly make this okay?

* * *

Focusing all of her energy on keeping her composure was exhausting. The rest of her day was a complete blur. Somehow she finally made it home. Andy closed the front door behind her and collapsed with her back against the door to her condo. Her eyes flooded with tears and her body began to shake. She allowed all of the feelings she had held in for the last few hours to completely consume her.

A knock at the door startled her awake. She must've cried herself to sleep. She scrambled up from the floor, trying unsuccessfully to straighten her matted hair and wipe her tear-stained face. She looked through the peephole to see Nick standing with a grocery bag in hand.

She opened the door slowly, trying to pretend she was fine. "Hey," she whispered. One look at her and he couldn't hide his concern.

"Hey. When you didn't come to the Penny I was worried. Thought I would bring you some of your favorite ice cream."

"Sorry, I was just feeling a bit tired." Andy was grateful for Nick's gesture, but the thought of eating anything at the moment was more than she could handle. "Thanks. Can you put it in the freezer for now?"

"Sure." One look at her mascara-stained face and slumped shoulders, and Nick knew she couldn't be handling it well. When he saw Sam with Marlo at the Penny together earlier his thoughts had immediately gone to Andy.

Despite her constantly telling him that she was over Sam during their six months under cover together, Nick knew better. He and Andy had become very close, and he knew she was in denial even before they returned. But this- this was not what he wanted for her. He hated to see this woman that he deeply cared for hurting. He hadn't ever had such an intimate friendship with a girl before, and it was definitely foreign to him.

Nick placed the ice cream in her otherwise empty freezer and joined Andy on the couch. Her knees were pulled tightly to her chest. She gripped her arms around her legs- physically holding herself together.

"Andy," he gently whispered.

"Don't. Please don't." One stray tear ran down her cheek. "I can't handle you being nice to me right now. I won't be able to keep it together."

He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Andy, I'm so sorry. "

The tears began to cascade down her face. "I guess I just wasn't worth waiting for." The deep pain enveloped her once again, and she was overcome with sadness.

Nick continued to hold her tightly until she was so tired she couldn't cry anymore. He wasn't like her girlfriends that would try to tell her that Sam was a jerk who didn't deserve her. He just held her close and listened.

When he felt like she was finally ready, Nick carried Andy to her bed. He laid her down gently and took her face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch. I'll be out there if you need anything at all. I promise I won't leave. You need to get some sleep so you can be ready for shift tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. That's what friends are for, right?" He tucked her in and lightly kissed her forehead. He turned and headed for the door.

"Nick?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

He gave her a nod and a faint smile. "Goodnight." He turned off the light and softly closed the door the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I still had more story in my head, so I wanted to put up Chapter 2 before I forgot it. Now it's late, and I'm going to bed. Sorry it may have ended somewhat abruptly. I promise I will post Chapter 3 somewhat soon. Thanks so much for the reviews so far! They mean a lot since it is my first ever FF. I have always been a big Sam/Andy fan, but have recently been interested in seeing what Nick and Andy have. And I think Sam needs to get it together and stop being so stubborn!

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

The fresh aroma of coffee gently awoke Andy from sleep. Her body felt tired and heavy. She rolled over to check the alarm clock. 11am. She would have to get up soon to get ready for her afternoon shift. Her thoughts went immediately to Sam. She tried to push him out of her mind. Nick was probably still here waiting for her to get up.

She padded into the kitchen where Nick was seated at the counter with his coffee and a bagel. He turned to her.

"Morning sunshine! You look like hell!"

"Charming," she said. "What are you still doing here?"

"Well someone had to go get coffee and breakfast. I know from experience that an Andy without coffee is a force to be reckoned with. I was doing everyone a favor."

"Uh huh. Shouldn't you be getting Gail coffee instead?"

"I think Gail needs some space." Nick gestured to his most recently bruised eye.

"Good point." Andy smiled. It was the first time Nick had seen her smile since their undercover operation went south at the warehouse. He was determined to make her smile as much as possible.

"You better get showered and ready for shift. You've got a little something on your face…" Nick pointed to the mascara stains all across her face. "I'll give you a ride to work once you rinse off your war paint."

Andy stifled a laugh. She grabbed her coffee and started to walk to the bathroom. "Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for this. For last night, for everything."

"Of course. Now hurry up!" He gave her a big smile and she went to get ready.

* * *

They pulled into a parking spot and Nick removed the keys from the ignition. Andy didn't move. He could see her body tense and anxiety take hold of her.

"How am I going to do this? I have to act like everything's fine, and it's definitely not."

"I promise it'll be okay," Nick said. "Just focus on the job and nothing else."

She still looked unsure of herself.

"Andy," he grabbed her chin and looked into her eyes. "I promise I won't let anyone hurt you today. I'm your break up buddy, remember? "

Another smile crossed her lips.

"That's my girl." Nick smiled back. Without thinking, he gave her a simple kiss on the lips and hopped out of the car.

Nick immediately regretted the kiss. It was just so easy and natural. They had kissed hundreds of times during their "cover" relationship. But they were back to real life now. He had Gail- and Gail was still upset about him leaving. The last thing she needed was to think he was cheating on her.

He made his way around to the other side of the car, but Andy was already way ahead of him. He looked around and was relieved to see no one else in the lot. Just habit, he told himself. He would just need to be more careful while adjusting back to his real life.

* * *

Nick was one of the last people into Parade. He slid into the back next to Sam. They exchanged a quick look and then he tried to find Andy. She was seated in the front row next to Traci. She turned around and looked directly at him, but then quickly averted her eyes.

Nick's felt a pain in the pit of his stomach. Not only did Andy have to deal with the whole Sam and Marlo thing, but now this. He turned their beautiful, uncomplicated friendship into something uncomfortable. He vowed he would clear this up with Andy as soon as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here's Chapter 3. I really love the almost father/daughter relationship between Andy and Oliver, and how he watches out for her. I wanted to pull a bit of that into the story as well. Trust me, I like getting to the good parts as much as everyone else, so I will get back to that soon. ;)

Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Your support has encouraged me to keep writing, when I should be working right now. I will try to post another chapter very soon!

On another note, is anyone else hating this 3 week RB hiatus as much as I am? It's hard enough to wait until summer. Sigh.

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Andy was quite taken aback by what happened with Nick in the car. She went through the motions her entire shift. Her brain was completely consumed with the Sam situation and now this kiss with Nick.

Oliver had been kind enough to switch assignments with Marlo, saving Andy from what could've been an even _more_ emotionally taxing day.

Oliver could tell Andy wasn't at her best. He was thankful the day consisted entirely of traffic stops and noise complaints. He was definitely worried about Andy, but no one wanted a partner whose head wasn't in the game. He might as well have been riding solo today, as Andy wasn't responsive. When they pulled back into the parking lot of the station he decided he had to say something.

"Andy, you know you're my favorite rookie, right? You always have been. And I will always want to look out for you. But Andy…"

She still wouldn't make eye contact with him.

His voice started to get more intense. "McNally! Listen to me."

She finally met his eyes.

"You _cannot_ continue like this. You were not mentally here today. You are a cop! What if we had been in a dangerous situation? Both of us could've been killed. You were not paying attention or alert. You need to have your mind focused on the job at all times, do you understand? I know you are going through a lot. I know. And I wish I could fix it for you, I do. But when you put on this uniform, you aren't a heartbroken little girl anymore. You are Andy McNally, a Toronto police officer. Your job is to serve and protect the people of this city, and more importantly, keep yourself and your partner safe so we both make it home. "

"I understand, sir. I'm so sorry. It won't happen again. I promise." She gave him a quick nod to reaffirm that she understood, and then she darted from the cruiser.

Oliver sighed. He loved that girl like she was his own daughter. He hated to get onto her like that, and he hated that she was so hurt, but he knew something needed to be said. If any other senior officers had witnessed her behavior today, they would go straight to Staff Sargeant Best, and that was the last thing she needed. He shook his head and stepped out of the police car.

* * *

Oliver wasn't the best at minding his own business, and he had definitely attempted to steer his friends in the right direction a time or two. He recognized that this situation with Andy and Sam was complicated, but when he saw Sam kissing Marlo in the hallway, he couldn't stop himself.

"Sam!" Oliver abruptly interrupted their intimate moment.

They both turned to look at him.

"I need to go over some stuff with you right now. Come with me." Oliver gestured with his hand for him to follow.

Sam shrugged and told Marlo he'd meet up with her later. He continued into the locker room behind his friend.

"What? I didn't think you had new any cases today did you?"

"Sam, listen. I get that you're in a new relationship now…"

Visibly annoyed, Sam put his hand up to stop his friend. Oliver was not going to back down.

"No, you need to listen. I get it, I do. I know it's complicated. I know you decided that you had to move on. Great. But you don't need to rub McNally's face in it every chance you get. I was partnered with her today, and she was completely out of it, Sam. I get that she hurt you, and maybe you don't ever realize you are trying to hurt her back. And then again, maybe you do. I find it interesting that when you and Andy were together, you were never showing such public displays affection on the job. And to be honest, you and Marlo weren't either until Andy got back. If you ever really cared about that girl, think about what you are doing. You can be with Marlo without parading it in front of your heartbroken ex. "

Sam wasn't expecting Oliver to come at him so hard, but he had to admit the man had a point. He didn't think he was purposely trying to make Andy upset, but maybe on some level he was. Sam wasn't particularly good at putting himself in anyone else's shoes, but a familiar memory surfaced. He began to remember how sick he felt watching Luke with Andy, and that was before he had any sort of relationship with her.

"You're right, Oliver. I'll be more careful. Thanks." Sam patted his friend on the shoulder and made his way back out of the locker room.

"Anytime, buddy. Anytime."

* * *

Nick grabbed his bag and shut his locker. He had witnessed the entire exchange between Oliver and Sam. He didn't know Oliver very well, but he certainly respected him, and he was glad to see someone else stand up for Andy. Nick had also seen Marlo and Sam kissing in the hallway, and it took a lot of strength for him to not punch that guy in the face.

How could he be so brazen and heartless? Nick started to wonder if Sam ever really felt for Andy what he had claimed. After all, Nick was just her friend, and seeing her hurting so badly mad him want to remove the source of her pain at any cost.

Her friend. A knot formed in his stomach when he thought back to that morning in the car. He needed to find her right now to clear the air about what happened. The last thing she needed was more drama in her life.

* * *

When Nick emerged from the doorway, he wasn't prepared for what he saw. Sam was leading Andy into an interrogation room, his hand on the small of her back. Her eyes were cast to the floor and her shoulders slumped in the familiar way they had for the last couple of days. The door closed behind them, and Nick felt bile begin to rise in his throat.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: 4 Chapters in less than 24 hours. Yikes!

I wanted to quickly address Andy's behavior on shift in the previous chapter. I know it may seem a bit inconsistent with how Andy usually handles herself professionally at work. She is definitely a strong person, and I think normally she would "compartmentalize." I feel strongly that after the bomb, the confrontation with Sam, having had a gun to her head the day before, and coming home to find Sam has moved on- Andy's just overwhelmed. I do feel like had there been a dangerous situation on shift that day, she would've snapped out of it. I think she has had too much heavy stuff happen to her in such a short time, and I think it's only natural that it would bleed over into her work a little bit until she's had time to process everything.

Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I will try to post another chapter very soon! You guys are awesome.

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

The door latched, and Andy tried to keep her composure. She was falling apart, but she was determined not to let Sam see that. He couldn't know the effect that he was having on her.

"How are you?" he asked. His face showed a genuine concern for her wellbeing, but Andy continued to stare at the floor.

"I'm fine. Look, Sam, I've got to be somewhere. What do you want?" The words had come out harsher than she intended. Somehow the hurt she was concealing had transformed into anger.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Oliver said…"

"Oliver was just overreacting." Sam was trying Andy's patience. "I'm fine, I'll be fine. Don't worry- I'll put my job first and keep it professional. Anything else?"

He scoffed at her response. "Well I don't think you've had any trouble with putting your job first! I certainly wasn't worried about that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Now she looked him straight in the face. Her deep brown eyes searched his for an explanation.

"Exactly what you think. I told you how I felt, and I begged you to give me another chance. We had a real opportunity to make this work, and you just walked away. For the second time, you chose your job over me- over _us._"

Andy's breathing quickened, and she fired back. "That is _not_ what happened. You broke up with me! In a parking lot! I tried for six weeks to work things out, and you shut me out. I knew I needed to move on. I couldn't spend my life pining over some guy that was very clearly done with me. So I asked Luke to join his task force. I needed to focus on myself and my career because I didn't _have_ a relationship to put first anymore."

He started to interrupt, but she continued. "No, let me finish. Yes, you finally told me how you felt. When I was holding a _bomb_! I needed some time to process. When both of our lives were in danger wasn't the best time to be making emotional decisions. That evening you asked me to join you at the Penny. I was headed that way when Luke stopped me. He told me I was chosen for the task force, and that I would have to leave that night. Of course I didn't want to leave you, but I had to do this for me. "

Andy could see that Sam was trying to process everything she was saying.

"I had 5 minutes to make the decision, and yes, I chose my job. But honestly, Sam, I thought if you _really _loved me like you claimed that you would be here waiting when I got back. If you truly loved me you could wait! You wouldn't jump into bed with the next single woman to walk into this division!" Andy was furious now. She couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. How could he have the nerve to question her loyalty to him when _he _was in fact the one who had moved on?

"Sam, I thought about you every single day I was undercover. I pictured coming back and exactly what it would be like now that both of us had our feelings out in the open. It never even occurred to me that you would be in a new relationship- especially with someone we work with. "

Sam was furious at the way she had spun the story to make him look like the bad guy. He had put himself out there. He laid his heart on the line. And her decision was to leave. He thought that was her telling him loud and clear that she didn't' want to give him a second chance- that she was done.

Andy started to push past Sam and grab the doorknob. He grabbed her wrist.

"Andy, wait." He was at a loss for words, but he knew he didn't want her to leave like this. Even though they weren't together anymore, he didn't want her to think his feelings for her weren't real. They were very real.

She looked up at him, almost pleading for him to say something comforting- something that would relieve some of the hurt.

He looked back at her thoughtfully and said the first thing that came to his mind. "She's not you." It was the honest truth. Things with Marlo were simple and uncomplicated. She never infuriated him like Andy did. To the same point, though, she never made him feel as much as Andy could with just one look. He was starting to think no one ever would.

She forced a faint smile. He released her wrist, and she was gone. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. One full day back, and she had already turned everything completely upside down.

* * *

Nick stood in the parking lot. His mind wouldn't stop racing. He wanted to know what was going on in that interrogation room. He didn't even hear Gail walk up next to him.

"Ready to go?" Gail planted a kiss on his cheek and pulled him toward the car.

He snapped out of it. "Yeah, let's go."

Nick could feel Gail watching him as he drove. He was working through what he was going to say to Andy about this morning.

Gail broke his train of thought. "Thinking about how you're going to make it up to me?"

Nick looked puzzled. "What?"

"You abandoned me for six whole months, Nick. You don't just think I'm going to let that go, do you?"

"Yeah, I think my black eye is more than enough to compensate for my leaving, don't you?"

Gail shot him a look. "Not even close."

He didn't know if it was the lack of sleep he got on Andy's couch last night or the events of the day that caused him to lose his patience with her, but he couldn't help it.

"Gail, don't you ever get sick of only thinking about yourself? Do you really think I went undercover to hurt you? I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. You know, like punching you in the face. That's just not me. I'm really surprised you don't know that by now. I said I was sorry, and I meant it. It's time you get over it. You're an adult- maybe you could start acting like it."

She was caught totally off guard. Nick usually took her cutting remarks lightly and knew how to go back and forth with her. Something had definitely changed. Gail didn't know what to say.

"Sorry," was all she could muster.

The car came to a halt in her driveway. He turned to her.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you, but you can't continue to punish me forever for this. I made a career decision. I thought you of all people would understand that. If I didn't think we would be okay afterwards, I wouldn't have gone. "

She lashed back at him. "Well clearly we are not okay!"

Even though she came off as indifferent most of the time, Gail was hurt. Nick was the only person with whom she ever felt close. Even though she didn't handle his return like she should've, she needed him to know that he hurt her. She wanted to make sure he didn't leave her again.

Without so much as a goodbye, Gail stormed out of the car and slammed the door behind her. Nick called after her, but she had already made her way up the front stairs without looking back.

He closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath. How had he managed to make such a mess of things today? Nick backed out of the driveway and started toward home. He found himself longing to be back undercover. As hard as it was to believe, somehow things were much simpler then.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, back to some Andy and Nick. ;)

Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. A special thanks to the reviewer that reminded me about Gail's plans to go to Europe. Somehow I had forgotten that little tidbit, and it helped me with this chapter. It may take me a little while to wrap up the Nick and Gail relationship completely so Andy and Nick can move forward more freely.

I will do my best to keep updating quickly, but I can't promise another 5 chapters in 24 hours...

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Andy was so wound up that she decided to walk home from work. She kept going over their confrontation in the interrogation room. What did Sam care how she was doing anyway? He clearly didn't worry about that when he was all over Marlo at work. He was never like that with Andy- he only kissed her when they were alone. She didn't worry too much about it when they were together because Sam was always such a private person. Clearly Sam and Marlo had something more if he was willing to be so public about their relationship.

And why did he have to say, "She's not you"? What was he trying to tell her? She couldn't decide if he was attempting to give her some hope of reconciliation or letting her know that he wanted something different now. Why was it so hard for him to be direct with her?

She was disgusted with herself for letting all of this affect her at work today. She didn't want to lose the respect of any of her coworkers, especially Oliver. She would have to process everything that happened and just start fresh. She would simply pretend that she was starting over at 15 Division- no past with anyone, nothing to occupy her thoughts. Live in the present- she could do that, right?

She had been so wrapped up in everything with Sam that she had totally forgotten about Nick kissing her that morning. It had to be an accident, right? She was sure that's all it was. It probably came so easily to him since they had been kissing for the last six months undercover. It was difficult to make such a big transition in just one day. She knew that Nick loved Gail, so she decided this definitely had to be a meaningless mistake. There was no reason for her to bring it up with him- it would just make things awkward. Her friendship with Nick was so pure and easy, and she intended to keep it that way.

When Andy got home, she threw her bag on the floor and her keys on the counter. Her mind was still racing. She decided she needed a good, long run to clear her mind and get her ready for her fresh start at work tomorrow.

She changed, tied her shoelaces, and headed down to the city park. The sun had just begun to set, and it had cooled down just enough for perfect running conditions. Andy put on her earphones and turned the music up. Some angry music and exercise were just what the doctor ordered.

Her pace was definitely faster than usual. She and Nick had been running 5k almost every morning while they were undercover. They usually kept up a pretty good speed, but tonight she was practically sprinting. The wind felt so therapeutic against her face. With every footstep, Andy could feel some of the hurt and anger lift up and leave her body.

She estimated at this point she had run about 5 miles, but she wasn't ready to quit yet. She rounded the next corner when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her self-defense training kicked in immediately, and she grabbed the perpetrator's hand and twisted his arm as she turned to face him.

"Nick!" She immediately let go of his hand and pulled the buds from her ears. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you."

Nick leaned over and shook out his arm in an attempt to relieve some of the pain she had inflicted.

"You would've known it was me if you didn't have your music up so loud! I have been calling your name for the last mile. I couldn't quite keep up with you, but I sure tried. Besides, haven't I told you a million times that it's not safe to listen to your music that loud?"

"Yes, _dad_," Andy quipped back at him, smiling.

His arm was throbbing, but it was totally worth it to see her smile. It wasn't like the ones he'd witnessed in the last 24 hours. This smile went all the way to her eyes.

He wanted to ask her about the interrogation room and to address what happened this morning, but he was just so glad to see her smile. He didn't want to risk being the one to take it from her.

"So, are you training for the Olympics or something? You never ran that hard with me this summer. "

"I knew your limits, and I didn't want to overexert you, " she countered.

Nick laughed. "I see. One good run, and you've already started with the trash talk. How about this- whoever makes it to that bench last buys the other frozen lemonade. " He pointed to a bench sitting directly next to a drink stand about a half mile away.

"You're on." Andy loved a challenge- especially one she was certain to win. "You ready?"

"Let's do this."

"Alright. Ready. Set. Go!"

Before Andy got to a good pace, Nick yelled out to her to tie her shoes before she fell. She slowed herself and looked down only to see the laces completely tied. Unbelievable!

Nick was already halfway to the bench. She sprinted as fast as she could, but was unable to make up the time. She trotted up next to him as he laughed.

She playfully slapped his chest. "You cheated!"

"No I didn't. There were no rules except to get to the bench first- and that's exactly what I did."

"You are unbelievable, did you know that? Well, the joke is on you this time because I don't have any money on me." She tilted her head slightly and smirked at him.

* * *

Nick and Andy sat on the bench and sipped their frozen drinks. Their bodies were so close to each other that anyone observing would probably assume they were a couple. Neither of them thought anything of the closeness.

Andy interrupted their comfortable silence with a question. "What were you doing out here anyway?"

"What does it look like I was doing? Running."

"I know that, but shouldn't you be with Gail?" She saw the smile fade from his face and his bottom lip start to worry.

"Yeah, no. We got in a fight today. I just needed some space."

Andy tried to keep the tone light. "Aren't you guys always in a fight? I mean, I would be concerned if she_ wasn't _upset with you."

He became serious. "This was different. I don't know. I just lost my cool. Usually I understand her personality, and I know how to deal with it. But today I blew up at her, and I think she took it pretty hard. I just wanted her to act like a normal person for once, that's all. I wanted her to stop being a child and stop punishing me for leaving, ya know? "

Andy nodded. She knew all too well.

Nick continued. "When I left, I thought she was going to Europe. She never bothered to include me when she made that decision. It's not fair of her to blame me for choosing to go undercover without consulting her. What, I was just supposed to stay here for her even though I thought she was leaving? It just feels like I try so hard with her, but she doesn't cut me any slack. I can't seem to do anything right."

Andy leaned in to Nick in an attempt to comfort him. He placed his arm around her shoulder.

"You guys just need a night to cool off," she offered. "I'm sure everything will be back to normal tomorrow."

"I hope you're right."

Andy and Nick sat together for a while longer, just enjoying the simple comfort of each other's company. When it started to get late, Andy stood up. She thanked Nick for the lemonade and told him she would see him tomorrow

"Wait," Nick objected. "You shouldn't walk home by yourself this late at night, Andy. It's just not safe."

Andy was only slightly annoyed. "I can look out for myself. I've been doing it since I was a little girl."

"I know you can. But just humor me, and let me walk you home. Please?"

Andy gave in. She thought it was completely unnecessary, but Nick had had a rough day, and if it made him feel better, she was happy to comply.

Nick stayed close to Andy's side as they made their way through the dark streets to her condo. When they got to her door, she turned to him to say goodbye. Before she could say a word, he enveloped Andy in a giant bear hug. She hadn't realized how much she needed one until then. He held her tightly and waited until he could feel her arms let up slightly before he started to let go. Nick kissed her cheek gently and said goodnight before heading back down the hall and onto the elevator.

Andy closed the door behind her and smiled. She was happy to be feeling better than she did when she left for her run. She definitely wasn't on top of the world, but with what she had been through lately, any improvement was something to celebrate. She knew tomorrow would be a tough day, so she took a deep breath and set her sights on the shower. Sleep couldn't come soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get up another chapter. I have been crazy busy!

Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. You guys are the best!

This didn't one didn't come to me quite as easily as the others, but hopefully you will enjoy. :)

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

The next day, Andy awoke feeling refreshed. She was ready to focus on her job and leave the events of the previous day behind her. She walked to work that morning and arrived early for a change. Traci was the first to greet her.

"Hey! Andy, I called and texted you last night, but no response. Are you okay? I was worried. Oliver told me you might need a friend."

Andy sighed. "Oliver has been on a roll hasn't he?" Traci looked confused. "Never mind. I'm fine, Trace, really. I'm feeling good today."

"You sure?

"Yep, I'm sure!"

Andy changed, loaded her gun, and headed to Parade. She took a seat up front and faced forward. She didn't look behind her to see if Sam was there. After all, she was starting fresh, and he didn't matter.

A couple of minutes passed before Nick slid into the seat directly beside her.

"Hey!" She smiled at him.

"Hey, yourself, " he responded. They shared a smile. "How's it going?"

"Not too bad," she responded. "And you?"

"Well, my arm is pretty sore from last night," he teased.

"Well I guess you shouldn't have been preying on young women in the park after sunset, huh?" Andy laughed. Her friendship with Nick was so easy and carefree. She already felt lighter this morning just from joking around with him.

"You're right. I just can't control myself when I see a young, attractive woman running by herself. "

"Attractive, huh?" Andy raised her eyebrows and gave Nick a playful jab with her elbow.

Nick blushed. He paused for a moment before delivering his response. "Well it was getting dark out. I can't be completely sure she was attractive..."

Andy rolled her eyes and chuckled.

* * *

As Nick and Andy continued their friendly banter, Sam watched uneasily from the back of the room. He knew they had spent the last six months together, but as he quietly studied their expressions, he started to fear there might be something more going on between the two. He saw Nick place his hand on Andy's forearm, and it only helped to affirm his theory.

Sam's mood began to darken. Nick happened to catch a glimpse of Sam's penetrating stare out of the corner of his eye. Sam shot a threatening look in his direction, and Nick immediately removed his hand from Andy's body. Andy felt his sudden retreat and turned around to investigate.

Sam fixed his gaze directly on her. Her smile disappeared. She looked back at him with her searching, brown eyes, her lips now firmly pressed into a thin line. He tried his best to grin at her, but the corners of his mouth only moved upward the slightest bit.

Frank's booming voice interrupted their silent conversation. "Alright, everyone listen up!"

Andy quickly averted her eyes and set her focus on the staff sergeant.

Sam's internal dialogue drowned out his boss's announcements. Sam wasn't sure what made him feel more physically ill- the fact that he was the one who just stole Andy's smile from her face or that there was a very real chance she was moving on right before his eyes.

He knew he shouldn't be thinking about any of this right now. The reality was that he had Marlo now, and Andy was no longer his to worry about. He made it the last three months or so without thinking about her much, but since her recent return it felt like she everywhere all of the time. As much as he tried, he couldn't seem to ignore her. It was probably naïve of Sam to think that he could just pretend she didn't exist. If he was being honest, this woman had occupied his heart and mind every day since the moment she tackled him on the street almost three years before.

Sam reflected over the events of the past couple of days. In the interrogation room, Sam could tell Andy was trying so hard to be strong, but her eyes told a different story. She was deeply hurt. Before their interaction, he had thought that she was the one to blame for everything. It hadn't ever occurred to him that she might have left to go undercover while still wanting to give him the second chance for which he had so desperately pleaded.

He hadn't completely registered it at the time, but now it started to come together. All of the uncharacteristic public displays of affection with Marlo- they were all for Andy. He _wanted_ to hurt her like she had hurt him. He _wanted_ her to be jealous and to regret leaving. And it worked. But somehow, the revenge was not sweet. He was ashamed of his childish actions, and he wished he could take them back. The hole she had left in his heart was not any smaller. Quite inversely, the hole was made even bigger witnessing what his selfish actions had done to her.

With just that one heated discussion, all of Sam's feelings that had been so purposefully tucked deep down inside began to rush back. Now, just as in the past, he could feel Andy's presence if she was anywhere in the vicinity.

The sudden sounds of shuffling chairs and voices brought Sam back to the present. With Andy and Nick busy looking at the patrol assignment board, Sam made a hasty exit. He had had enough of them for the day.

* * *

Andy inhaled deeply for the first time that day, allowing the relief to wash over her. She was partnered with Nick today. She hadn't realized how much tension her body had been holding until now. She felt such gratitude that she had not been made to ride with Sam's new girlfriend this shift.

* * *

With Nick behind the wheel, Andy relaxed and watched the city pass by through the passenger window. She felt safe with him. For the past six months he had been the only person around to have her back, and she knew he took the responsibility of being her partner seriously. He was protective of her, but not in the stifling sort of way that Sam Swarek had been.

They had spent the morning bringing in fugitives who had standing warrants. It was definitely more intense than her previous shift, but Andy enjoyed the feeling of putting criminals behind bars where they belong. It helped to remind her of the importance of her job- making the streets of Toronto safer for its citizens.

Nick and Andy dropped off their latest arrest at the barn and headed back out into town. Nick was hungry, so they stopped at Andy's favorite burrito place for lunch.

They sat down at a booth in the back corner with their food. Nick looked at Andy, appraising her mood.

"What?" she asked. She could tell he had something on his mind.

"I'm just not sure…"

"Just spit it out."

"What did Sam say to you in the interrogation room?" After seeing Andy's face, Nick immediately regretted his question.

Andy paused, debating what to say. She really didn't want to talk about it, and to be honest, she was annoyed that Nick had brought it up.

"He wanted to know if I was okay. And to tell me that it was my fault he moved on."

Nick was already not too fond of Detective Swarek, but hearing this made him even angrier. Nick had spent six months in close quarters with Andy McNally, and in that time they had developed a close and deep friendship. She was a strong, smart, fiery, and beautiful woman. There were so many aspects of her that he admired, but most of all it was her unwavering loyalty. How could this man who had been so intimate with her possibly question it?

Andy interjected before Nick could start. "Don't worry, I told him exactly how it was. It's fine, Nick. I said my peace and now I've moved on. I'm starting fresh."

As happy as Nick was to hear that Andy stood up for her self and was ready to move on, he knew better. He knew it wasn't that simple, and he knew it would take more than just her strong will for Andy to move on. He knew Andy, and he knew that she wasn't as over Sam as she claimed to be or probably even realized. He knew that once she was at home alone tonight, she would be thinking of Sam. She would probably replay that confrontation over and over again in her head.

Andy could see the doubt written across Nick's face. "I'm serious, Nick. I'm starting fresh and putting the past behind me."

Nick forced a smile. "Good for you. I'm glad. You deserve so much more than that, Andy. You deserve a guy who will tell you exactly how he feels. A guy who will let you know every single day that you mean everything to him- a guy who will do absolutely anything to make you happy."

Andy laughed. "Nick, I think you watched too many soap operas while we were undercover. I don't think guys like that really exist."

Nick was saddened to hear her jaded perspective. He was caught off guard when he started to feel an overpowering urge to show her- to prove to her that there _was_ someone who could be everything she needed and deserved. Nick pushed those emotions back down below the surface.

"You're probably right. No more daytime TV for me!" Nick tossed his crumpled napkin onto his tray. "Ready to go?"

"Yep."

Nick returned to the car without making eye contact with his partner. There was no doubt that he really liked spending time with Andy, but he was starting to wonder if it was more than that. He liked the sweet smell of her hair from the strawberry shampoo she used. He liked the way that her deep, brown eyes lit up when she told him stories of the camping trips she used to take with her dad. He liked the warmth of her body as she leaned against him while watching television all of those months.

Nick suddenly thought back to the other morning in the car. Was the kiss really a careless mistake as he had first thought? If he was being truthful, he felt a surge of excitement stirring inside of him just thinking about the moment that their lips touched.

He wasn't sure what to think of all these feelings, but Nick knew he couldn't make sense of anything while she was so physically close to him. Nick started the car, and both his heart and mind began to race.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This one took much longer to write. Hoping you Nick/Andy fans will be happy with the progress. As I said before, I have always been Team Sandy, but I just feel like Sam has some serious work to do on himself. Nick and Andy have a solid friendship that can progress into something more. This time she has a good foundation with a guy that can actually acknowledge and share his feelings! I think it's important for her to see where that goes.

Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. You guys are the best! Enjoy!

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

His arms held her body tightly against his. She inhaled his masculine, intoxicating scent, trying to catch her breath, but his mouth was over hers again, his tongue feeling, exploring. He kissed her neck gently at first, but then more forcefully as his lips made their way down to her collarbone.

All of a sudden he released her from his hold, one hand falling to his side and the other gently tilting her chin upward. He searched her dark, passionate eyes for an answer to his question.

Her voice came out as a heavy whisper, "Yes, I'm sure." Her eyes sought to reassure him, but Nick still looked unconvinced.

Unable to stand the distance between them any longer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long, deep kiss. She took charge this time, making her intentions for him crystal clear. When she pulled away for a quick second, she saw that his eyes were much darker, filled with resolve.

No longer holding anything back, his kisses grew more intense. He pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to the floor. She admired how his t-shirt clung to his beautifully sculpted biceps before removing it and tossing it alongside hers. He reached around her back to unclasp her lacey black bra, letting it fall to their feet.

His hands and lips were everywhere, sensations rushing all throughout her body. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed, laying her gently beneath him.

* * *

The shrill sound of her alarm shocked Andy into consciousness. She awoke with her heart racing, her breath unsteady, and her skin flushed and dewy with perspiration. She fumbled with the buttons on her clock until the awful noise was silenced. She immediately fell back onto to her pillow.

She ran her hand through her hair and closed her eyes. She hadn't really thought of Nick that way before- they were just good friends. But her dream was so intense, and it felt so incredibly real. She was ashamed of herself for not only what she dreamt, but for enjoying it so much. Nick was with Gail, and Gail would definitely be upset if she ever found out her friend was having such racy dreams about her boyfriend.

Andy headed to the shower to cleanse herself of the guilt she was feeling. At first she assumed this dream must be some random occurrence, but upon further scrutiny, she started to question whether there was some reason behind it. Maybe she did have some feelings for Nick. She had spent so much time focused on Sam and their tumultuous relationship that she hadn't left much room for the possibility of something- or someone- different.

She couldn't deny that there was a bond between them. In fact, she probably trusted Nick more than anyone else in her life right now. Since they had become friends, he always seemed to be there when she needed him and always knew exactly what she needed. Things with him were so easy, so natural. There wasn't a constant roller coaster of emotions.

Of course now there was this. She had to go and complicate things with what might be romantic feelings for her "platonic" friend. She had been the one cheated on in a relationship before, and she never wanted Gail to suffer like she had. Gail could be a tough cookie, but Andy felt certain that in the face of such betrayal, Gail would crumble.

Why did any of this matter anyway? She had one dream about Nick, and yes, maybe there were some underlying feelings there. But cheating wouldn't be an issue because Andy was certain that Nick didn't feel the same way about her. Yes, he was kind to her and had accidentally kissed her the other morning, but none of that meant anything. Nick was a loyal, dependable guy that loved his girlfriend. At the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

Andy silenced her internal monologue and finished getting ready. It was her day off, but she had lots of errands to run after being away so long. Later that evening she was meeting all of her friends down at the Black Penny. They hadn't spent much time together since her return, and she was eager to catch up on everything that had happened while she was away.

* * *

Andy took another sip of her beer.

"Chris, you can't go to Timmons. It just won't be the same without you. Besides, how can you be the "face of Fifteen Division" if you aren't even _at _Fifteen Division?"

Chris playfully rolled his eyes. "I don't want to go, Andy, believe me. I just have to do what's best for my kid. He has to come first now. I'm really gonna miss you guys."

Dov chimed in. "Well, we better make this a night to remember, then. I'm going to order another round."

Andy noticed a member of their group was missing. "Where is Gail, anyway? I thought she was coming."

"I've been trying to get in touch with her all night," Traci said. "She hasn't been answering. I hope everything's okay."

Dov returned with five drinks.

"Well, that's just more for us," Chris exclaimed.

The four of them drank, talked, and laughed for hours. Andy was really enjoying herself. She felt very lucky to have such good friends- even if one of them was leaving.

She excused herself to visit the washroom, making her way through the crowded bar. A familiar heather grey t-shirt caught her eye. In a corner table all by himself sat none other than Nick Collins. Andy hadn't expected to see him at the Penny tonight. He had two empty glasses in front of him and a third in his hand. His eyes were cast downward; he didn't notice Andy studying him.

Concerned, she placed her hand on his shoulder. Startled, his eyes met hers. She could tell something was definitely wrong. She pulled a chair up close to him so they could talk more privately.

"Hey, what's going on?"

He debated whether or not he wanted to talk about it. He chugged the rest of his beer.

"Gail and I broke up."

Andy couldn't hide her surprise. "What? Why?"

"Things just weren't working anymore. She was mad at me all of the time. She held grudges for every single thing I ever did wrong. It's like she was constantly keeping score, and I was always losing. For a long time I put up with it because I love her and wanted to make it work. But lately, I don't know, I just couldn't allow it to keep happening, so I told her that. I thought if I was honest with her that we could work through it- maybe she could forgive me for everything in the past, and we could finally move forward."

Nick interrupted his story for a moment to order another beer.

"Apparently she didn't _want_ to fix our relationship. She told me that I kept hurting her time after time, and she just couldn't get over it. She threw everything of mine she had into a box, shoved it toward me, and told me to get out."

Nick left out an important part of the story. Since their return, Gail had noticed Nick and Andy spending a lot of time together. She had asked if anything happened while they were undercover, and Nick assured her that it hadn't. Then she looked him straight in the eye and asked if he had feelings for Andy, and he couldn't lie. He told her that he might have some feelings for Andy, but that it didn't matter because he loved _her._ After his guilty admission, it didn't seem to matter what he said or how much he pleaded. Gail had completely shut down, and there was no going back.

Andy placed her hand on Nick's knee. "I'm so sorry. Maybe she'll think about it and realize what she's done. Maybe she'll want to make it work."

Nick shook his head. "No, I think this time it's really over. It sucks because I really care about her. But at the same time, I think a part of me is relieved. I'm so tired of disappointing her all of the time. Clearly, I can't make her happy." With that, Nick chugged the rest of his beer.

Andy gestured to the empty glass. "How many is that?"

Nick shrugged. "I lost count a long time ago."

She sighed. "Okay, I'll drive you home so you can sleep this off."

* * *

When they arrived at Nick's apartment, Andy removed the keys from the ignition. She opened her door, and the interior lights came on, waking him. By the time she made it to the passenger's side of Nick's car, he was already trying to get out.

"Hold on there, soldier. Let me help."

Nick rested his arm on Andy's shoulders as she helped him make it up the stairs. She fumbled with his keys until she found the right one and pushed the door open with her foot.

"Come on, not too much further," she coaxed him, as she tried to support his weight while steering him around the coffee table. "Let's just get you to your bed."

Finally, she thought to herself, as they reached his bedroom. He sat down clumsily on the bedside, and Andy seated herself next to him.

"Andy?" He looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"Will you be my breakup buddy?"

They both started laughing. "Of course," she responded.

"I'll be right back." She stepped out for a minute, and Andy quickly returned with a glass of water and 2 aspirin. "You'll thank me in the morning." She placed her hand on his shoulder again, told him goodnight, and turned to leave.

He grabbed her hand. "Andy, please don't go," he pleaded with her.

She thought better of it, but he looked so pitiful that she couldn't force herself to tell him no. "Ok. I'll stay."

She crawled into the bed next to him, and they turned on the television. It was so late there wasn't much on, so they settled for infomercials. They lounged next to each other making fun of the awful products and actors.

Andy chuckled. "I can't believe this woman is _that_ excited about a chair that slides back and forth."

"I know. I could've given her the crappy chair from our cover apartment that wobbled back and forth, and she would've gotten the same useless workout. It would've saved her money and the embarrassment of being on this ridiculous commercial," Nick offered.

Andy grabbed the remote in an attempt to change the channel, but Nick grabbed it back. "Hey, I like watching this woman! She's cute!"

Andy giggled. "Yeah, and I'm sure it wouldn't be distracting when you the two of you are having a romantic, candlelit dinner, and she's sliding back and forth on her "exercise chair" with a giant grin plastered on her face."

Nick countered, "That's just her way of keeping her figure. The exercise chair induced motion sickness ensures that she can't eat very much."

They continued to critique the advertisements until Nick eventually dozed off. Andy thought she should probably leave at that point, but she was so tired she couldn't stand the thought of having to go so far.

She turned the off the TV and looked over at Nick, his face partially illuminated from the streetlight streaming in through the blinds. He looked so peaceful. She hated to see him hurting from his breakup with Gail. She knew there were always two sides to any story, but she was angry with her friend for being so cold toward Nick. He was a great guy, and he deserved to be with someone who would really appreciate him for all that he had to offer.

She kissed him gently on the forehead and ran her hand through his hair. She really enjoyed being close to him like this. She turned to the side, and rested her head on the pillow. It wasn't long before she fell into a dark and dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Each chapter is taking longer to write as I get further with this. Sorry for the delay, and thanks for patiently waiting!

I'm very grateful for the follows, favorites, and reviews!

P.S. Is anyone else super excited that the show is finally back on tomorrow? :)

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Nick awoke to the steady sound of Andy's breathing. Her cheek was resting on his chest, her arm draped across him. He didn't know how they ended up intertwined with each other, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying it. The warmth of her body resting so closely to his comforted him. He held completely still, worried that any slight movement would wake her.

Nick closed his eyes, inhaling the familiar, sweet scent of Andy's hair. He gently lifted his hand, softly brushing a few strands from her face. He studied her, admiring her smooth, tanned skin and delicate features.

Not wanting it to end, he closed his eyes, trying to match his breathing with the rise and fall of Andy's chest. Before long, he was sleeping soundly.

* * *

Nick didn't regain consciousness again until he felt Andy pulling away from him. His eyes shot open, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Morning," he offered.

Andy scooted back from Nick and blushed uncomfortably. "Morning." She bit her bottom lip. "Sorry I'm still here. It just, uh, got really late, and I was really tired. I didn't mean to…" She gestured between Nick and herself, awkwardly trying to apologize for the position she was in when they woke. She stared at the bed linens, avoiding eye contact with him.

Nick felt his heart sink watching Andy's reaction to the situation. It was probably too much to hope that she would be as comfortable with this as he was. He tried to make her feel better. "Andy, it's no big deal. I asked you to stay last night, remember? I wouldn't have wanted you trying to get home all by yourself that late."

She still appeared to be embarrassed, but she finally met his eyes. "I guess you're right." Andy was trying to make sense of things when she caught a glimpse of Nick's alarm clock. "Oh my God, work. Nick, we are going to be late!" They only had thirty minutes before they had to be at the station.

Nick rubbed his eyes. "Don't panic. I'll go make the coffee while you take a quick shower. Then I'll shower and take you to work. There are towels in the closet outside the bathroom."

Andy nodded and rushed out of the bedroom while Nick made his way to the kitchen. He brewed the coffee, preparing Andy's in a travel mug exactly the way she liked it and setting it on the corner of the counter.

Nick turned to put the milk in the fridge when he bumped right into Andy. He steadied her, grabbing onto her shoulder with his free hand.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were in here," he said, dropping his hand back to his side when he realized Andy was wearing nothing but a towel. He had seen her in a towel hundreds of times when they were undercover, but somehow this felt very different.

She appeared embarrassed for the second time that morning. "Yeah, sorry, I just wanted to get my coffee. The shower's open now." She grabbed the mug and hurried to Nick's bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Nick released the air he was unconsciously holding in and headed straight for the shower. He was eager for a moment alone, however brief, to process everything.

* * *

As they pulled into the parking lot at the station, Andy's stomach began to churn. She was wearing the same outfit she had worn to the Penny last night. She was concerned her friends would notice and assume something happened with her and Nick last night.

She was already afraid that Nick would think she was coming onto him after the way she had cuddled up to him this morning in her sleep. The last thing she wanted to do was strain their friendship while he was trying to recover from a difficult breakup. He needed her to be his friend right now.

Completely preoccupied with her thoughts, it took a minute before Andy noticed Nick was lost in thoughts of his own.

She tried to reassure him, placing her hand gently on his. "Don't worry, Nick. I will run into the locker room and change right away. No one will notice."

"What are you talking about?" Nick was very clearly confused.

"My clothes. I thought you were afraid people would notice I'm wearing the same thing as last night…"

"Actually, I hadn't even thought about that." He laughed nervously. "But thanks. Now I have to think about that, too." He paused. "I'm worried about seeing Gail after what happened last night."

"I'm sure it'll be okay. I'll be there with you." She squeezed his hand with her fingers. Andy glanced at her watch. "But pretty soon, you'll have to worry about Frank, too. We have less than five minutes to get changed and get to Parade."

The both climbed out, and Nick made his way over to Andy's side of the car.

"Andy, I really wanted to thank you for last night. I'm not sure how I would've gotten home without you."

"Of course." Andy wrapped her arm around Nick's back in a show of support as they started walking reluctantly toward the building. "It's going to be okay, Nick. You'll get through today. After that, each day will be easier than the one before. At least that's what I keep telling myself, anyway."

He sighed and looked down at his friend, pulling her closer. "I hope you're right."

* * *

Andy felt her stomach drop. She was partnered with Marlo today. She knew she would have to work with Sam's new girlfriend at some point, but she had been praying it wouldn't be so soon. She thought about pleading privately with Frank to let her switch partners for the day, but when she and Nick arrived late to Parade that didn't exactly buy her any favors with her boss.

Nick pulled Andy aside in the hallway, his eyes filled with concern for her. "I can see if Oliver will switch with her. I'd hate for you to have to spend all day with that woman."

Andy shook her head. "I appreciate it, but I'm going to have to deal with her sometime. Besides, I don't want her to have the satisfaction of thinking I'm afraid of her."

Over Nick's shoulder Andy could see Sam and Marlo talking. She didn't want to look, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. She couldn't help but wonder what they were discussing, and if it had anything to do with her. When Marlo leaned in for a kiss, Sam pulled away and gave her a quick handshake before walking away. Marlo appeared to be quite unsure of herself after Sam's less than romantic goodbye.

Interesting, Andy thought to herself. Suddenly she had a little more confidence about spending the day with Marlo. Maybe things with those two weren't as perfect and "uncomplicated" as Sam had wanted Andy to believe.

Nick grabbed onto Andy's shoulder in attempt to get her attention. "Hey, are you sure you're going to be okay?"

She finally returned her focus back to her friend. "Yeah, I'll deal with it somehow. By the way, did you notice Gail wasn't here?"

"Yeah. Dov said she called in sick. I will probably check on her after work to make sure she's okay."

Andy sighed. "I'm not really sure she deserves that after last night." She thought about trying to talk him out of it, but decided against it. "Let me know how it goes. " She turned to leave. "Have a good shift."

Nick replied, "You too. Call me if you need anything."

Andy was really frustrated with Nick for still worrying about Gail after how she treated him, but then she realized that was one of the things she loved about him. Nick wasn't hot and cold and up and down. He cared about the people in his life in good times and in bad, regardless of the circumstances. He was someone you could always depend on to stand by you, and that was something she really respected.

Andy put on her game face as best she could and made her way to the squad car. Her breathing had become shallow, and she was starting to wish that she had called in sick, too.

"McNally," Officer Marlo Cruz greeted her. "I'll drive today if you don't mind."

Andy only nodded in response, throwing her bag into the back seat. She couldn't force herself to smile. She didn't like this woman, and she couldn't hide it. Marlo was blunt and cold, and clearly making friends did not seem to be a priority for her. As far as Andy could tell, Marlo's only redeeming qualities were her appearance and her ability to do her job well. Was that really all Sam cared about?

Marlo started the car, focusing her gaze directly in front of her. The tension in the squad car was palpable. Andy stared out the window trying to imagine herself anywhere but there. As the city passed by, Andy thought back to one of her favorite days.

* * *

Andy's sleep was interrupted by the smell of candles burning. She sat straight up in bed.

"Happy Birthday, Andy," Nick said softly. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, a tray in his hands with coffee, pancakes, and a daisy. A lit birthday candle stood in the center of the pancake stack, blue wax beginning to drip down the sides.

"I would sing, but we all know you hate my singing," he joked. "Hurry, make a wish!"

Andy closed her eyes and blew out the flame. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the delicious aroma of pancake, coffee, and birthday candle. She smiled up at him. "Thanks for this. You really didn't have to do anything."

"Just because we are undercover doesn't mean I can't celebrate that you are now older than me!"

Andy laughed, swatting at him. "Hey! Only by a few months!" She cut off a biteful with her fork. "I was going to share my pancakes with you, but after that I don't know!"

"No worries, I already had some. Some of us actually get up at a reasonable hour, you know."

"Hey! I might as well enjoy _something_ about being undercover and spending all of my time with drug dealers."

"Andy, you have the best job perk of all. You get to spend all of your time with me! You really can't beat that." He placed his hand on her knee. "Now hurry up and get ready. I've got the day all planned out for you."

She was in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Of course. What kind of "boyfriend" would I be if I didn't plan anything special for you today?"

The same as every boyfriend I've ever had, she thought to herself.

"We've got to keep up appearances, you know. I already told the guys I couldn't do any jobs tonight because I'm taking you out." He stood up, making his way to the door. "Now hurry up and get ready, birthday princess!"

She giggled, tossing a pillow at him as he walked out.

* * *

Andy smiled. That had definitely been her most memorable birthday yet. Nick definitely had a talent for making her feel special.

Oliver Shaw's frantic voice booming through police radio startled her. "Shots fired, we need backup and a medic at Spruce and King _now_. Officer down! I repeat, officer down!"


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I am so sorry for leaving you guys with a cliffhanger and not updating sooner! I have been writing, I promise. I really wanted to do this part of the story justice. A special thanks to my friend, Haley. She has been editing my work and helping me build out ideas to make a much better story.

Again, thank you guys so much for your support, and I'm so sorry for taking so long to write this. I hope that you find it was worth the wait!

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Andy paced back and forth in the halls of St. Patrick's, the sterile aroma eliciting painful memories of the trauma that occurred not long ago. It hadn't been a year since Detective Jerry Barber's death in that very same hospital. The halls were once again swarming with law enforcement anxiously awaiting word of their fellow officer's condition.

* * *

The day had taken on a surreal quality since hearing Oliver's panicked voice over the radio. It hadn't taken long for Andy to remember who was partnered with Oliver Shaw that day. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "Oh, God. It's Nick." Saying the words out loud made it even more terrifying.

Marlo grabbed the radio. "1520, show us responding." Then she turned to Andy, speaking very matter-of-factly. "We don't know for sure that it's Nick yet. Don't jump to conclusions. Wait until you have all of the information."

Andy ignored her comment. Of course it was Nick. No other units had been called to the scene yet, so it could only be him. Nick Collins, her best friend in the world, her partner, had been shot.

Darkness completely enveloped Andy. She couldn't hear the sirens blaring on their patrol car or the multiple calls over the radio from officers arriving at the scene. Horrifying and grim scenarios flashed through her mind, all of them ending with Nick's lifeless face disappearing behind the zipper of a black bag.

By the time they reached the crime scene, Marlo could tell Andy was in a state of shock. She knew her partner wasn't in any condition to be working an active crime scene. Marlo spoke very firmly, trying to make sure she had Andy's attention.

"You need to stay in the car. Do you hear me? Stay in the car and don't move until I tell you to." Andy nodded, acknowledging that she understood the order.

She watched vigilantly out her window, trying to make sense of the chaos. She saw a man in handcuffs being loaded somewhat roughly into the back of a patrol car. He must be the shooter, she thought to herself.

She scanned over to the far right of the scene, spotting a body on a gurney being rolled toward the waiting ambulance. There was blood everywhere, and there were 2 EMT's and a firefighter surrounding the victim.

Without another thought, Andy sprinted from the car toward the emergency vehicle. She had gotten just close enough to confirm the victim's identity, when she was halted abruptly. Someone was holding her in place, preventing her from going to him. Andy cried out as she watched Nick being loaded into the ambulance, his skin too pale. She fought Oliver with everything she had, relenting only after she watched the flashing red lights disappear around the street corner. Tears surged down Andy's face and her legs buckled beneath her. Oliver kneeled beside her, wrapping his arm tightly around her.

"Andy, I'm sorry. He had to go right away. There just wasn't time for you to go with him. He'll pull through. He's in good hands."

Andy couldn't hear anything Oliver was saying to her. Everything that followed was a blur. The next thing she knew she was sitting in the hospital's emergency waiting room.

* * *

Andy desperately wanted to think positively, but no one had heard anything since Nick went into surgery. It had been three agonizing hours, and still no word. Every minute that passed by, Andy's hope diminished, and it became harder and harder to breathe.

Andy had worried about Nick constantly while they were undercover. Every time that he went on a job without her she was anxious until he had returned safely. Somehow they even made it through that final, terrifying day at the trucking warehouse when both of their lives had been in jeopardy. How could this possibly be happening now?

She couldn't fathom a world without this man. He was so much a part of her life now- she wasn't sure how she could go on without him. He looked out for her. He made her laugh. He made her feel like she wasn't alone. Waiting and watching the rain cascade down the hospital windows, she felt so unbelievably and painfully alone.

Andy longed to see Nick so much it ached. She would've given heaven and earth to hold him in her arms again, to tell him how important he was to her. He needed to know how much he had changed her life. She was happier and healthier with him around. They were so in sync with each other; somehow Nick always knew exactly what she needed and when.

If Andy was being honest with herself, she had replayed her somewhat heated dream about Nick a few times in her mind. She had also started to become more aware of him physically. She loved his athletic body with broad shoulders and strong, muscular arms, and the warmth she felt when he pulled her in for an embrace. She loved his tender, brown eyes and the way they firmly locked on hers when she spoke to him. She loved his large, masculine hands when they cupped her face, pulling her in for a soft kiss… What if he never kissed her again? What if he never pulled her in close for one of his big bear hugs again?

Andy immediately snapped back into the present when she saw a petite woman clothed in blue scrubs and a surgical mask emerge in the doorway. She removed her mask, an unreadable expression on her face. Andy's heart stopped. She silently pleaded for good news. "Please," she whispered under her breath.

Finally, the woman spoke.

"Officer Collins is in critical, but stable condition. We were able to remove both bullets, but his femoral artery was severed, causing severe blood loss. The next 24 hours are critical, but as long as he gets through that without issue, we expect a full recovery."

There was a collective sigh in the waiting room. Andy eagerly approached the woman. "When can we see him?"

"He's being moved to the ICU. We will probably allow visitors in an hour or so, his condition permitting."

Andy thanked the woman and made her way to the bathroom. She leaned over the sink, splashing cold water over her face, allowing the relief to wash over her. She took several deep breaths before blotting her face dry with a paper towel. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her face puffy and red. She really needed to pull it together so Nick didn't see her like this.

Many of the officers had left upon hearing the encouraging news, but Andy wasn't going anywhere. She had to see Nick before she could fully believe that he was going to be okay. She made her way to the ICU and sat in the first open chair she saw. She stared at the floor for what felt like an eternity until a calm, female voice spoke in the silence.

"Andy McNally?"

Her head popped up. "Yes?"

"He's asking for you."

Andy rushed to the nurse's side without looking around to see who else had heard her. The nurse led her to the doorway of Nick's room, and Andy paused in the threshold. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she might see before she made her way to his bedside.

The first thing Andy noticed was the ridiculous amount of tubes and wires hooked up to machines. There was a steady, muted beeping from the machine monitoring his pulse, and a constant drip from the IV bag. It took her a minute before she met his searching brown eyes.

He spoke cautiously. "Hey." One look at her face told him more than words ever could. Andy had the weight of the world on her shoulders. He couldn't imagine how terrified he would be if she had been the one shot.

She grabbed onto his right hand with both of hers, clutching it as tightly as possible. "Nick, I was so worried about you." Tears cascaded down her face. "I am so relieved that you are okay." So much for keeping it together, she thought to herself.

Nick tried to soothe her. "I'm going to be fine, Andy. I'm so sorry for making you worry." He removed his hand from her grasp and patted on the empty space next to him.

She shook her head. "I don't want to hurt you," she protested.

"Sit right here, it's fine. There's plenty of room for both of us. They've got me so bandaged up under these blankets I don't think a bowling ball could hurt me." He joked, trying unsuccessfully to lighten the mood.

Andy sat cautiously beside him, their bodies making only the slightest bit of contact. He wiped a single tear from her right cheek. Even when her face was swollen from crying, she was still so beautiful. Her deep, brown eyes fixed intensely on his, making his chest begin to ache. He swept a piece of her chestnut hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear before letting his hand fall gently to her knee.

Nick's heart began to race as he slowly leaned in closer. He hesitated slightly, assessing her reaction. She kept her eyes locked on his until he closed the distance between them, crushing his lips against hers. He kissed her with a pressing intensity- all of his feelings for her and emotions from the day's events bleeding through. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, dissolving the dull pain in his legs. With each touch, the warmth between them increased. He pressed his mouth to hers one last time before slowly pulling back, his breathing loud and unsteady.

Nick searched Andy's eyes for some sign of what she was feeling. He struggled with a dizzying combination of exhilaration, relief, and vulnerability. He was trying to carefully choose what to say to her when the door opened abruptly, startling them both.

"Sorry to interrupt," Sam Swarek announced none too politely. He had an air of disgust about him. He addressed Nick. "Glad you're okay." "Hate to break up this little _reunion_," he gestured to them both, "but I need to get Nick's statement."

Normally skilled at staying calm in tense situations, Nick felt an uncharacteristic surge of anger rise inside of him. He tried to steady his voice as he spoke.

"Just give us a minute, please."

"Sorry, but I've waited as long as I can. I have to hurry up and get back to the station, so we need to do this now."

"Fine. Just give us one minute," Nick responded as steadily as he could, his emotions fighting for control.

"You better make it quick." Sam exited the room, closing the door behind him with more force than necessary.

"Remind me again, what is it that you saw in him?" Nick somewhat teasingly questioned Andy.

She didn't respond. Her eyes were wide, filled with unshed tears that could spill over at any moment. He immediately regretted what he said. He grabbed her hands in his.

"Look, Andy, we'll have to talk about this later. I'm sorry. I think we should discuss what just happened and everything, but we'll have to talk after I give my statement, okay?"

Andy nodded. She stood up, bending over to place a single kiss on Nick's forehead before she turned and left the room.

Sam was waiting in the hallway looking somewhat pleased with himself. Seeing his smug expression made Andy sick to her stomach. She had been through so much already that day. Here Sam was purposely making things worse. Her words came out quiet, but biting.

"Get your damn statement, and then get the hell out."

Sam was taken aback. He started to fire back a response, but held back once he really caught sight of her. He could see her fighting back tears, but there was also resentment behind her eyes as she stared him down. Her lips were pressed into a hard line, and her arms were crossed.

Once again, he'd let his temper get the best of him. He had been outside the door ready to come talk to Nick when he caught a glimpse of the two kissing. Jealousy had surged through him, and he couldn't stop himself from bursting into the room shortly after. He hadn't thought at all about what Andy had probably been through that day. All he could think about at the moment was how he wanted it to stop. He didn't want anyone else touching her. Even thinking about it made him feel like he'd been punched in the gut.

Looking at her now, even with the hostility she was clearly directing toward him, she seemed fragile. He felt an overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms, to comfort her and take away her pain. He placed his hand on her shoulder, opening his mouth to speak.

She slapped his hand away. "NO. You don't get to do that! You are _not_ the good guy here. Nick got _shot_ today, Sam! Does that not mean anything to you? He was fighting for his life just a couple of hours ago, and all you can think about is yourself! You were such a jerk in there. Do you not see that?"

Sam looked at the floor, avoiding eye contact as she spoke. He was ashamed of his actions, but he couldn't help but to be bothered seeing all of the emotions Andy was displaying about another guy. His hands in his pockets, Sam tried his best at an apology.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I'm not sure what came over me, but I will apologize to Nick as well. I'm sorry." It frustrated him that she wouldn't even look at him. With his right hand, he tilted her chin upward, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Andy, I'm sorry."

He saw a single tear run down her cheek before she abruptly turned away from him. She spoke softly and with resignation as she began to walk away from him. "Just take his statement and go. Please."

Sam watched Andy's silhouette gradually diminish as she continued down the hallway. The discomfort in his chest worsened with each step she took away from him. He willed her to turn back, but soon she was gone, taking a small piece of him with her.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Sorry I did not update sooner! I appreciate you guys so much, and I really have been trying to write as often as I can. We are in the process of about a thousand life events all at once, so it may be a week or more between each update. I promise I will try to update as soon as possible!

Thank you SO much for your wonderful reviews. I know not everyone is a McCollins fan, but I love sharing the story of these two that seem much more mature and suited for a positive relationship together. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think! Your reviews keep me inspired to continue writing. I am so grateful to have such great supporters on my very first fanfic!

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Sam tried to clear his mind and return his focus to his job before returning to Nick's hospital room. He had let his emotions get the best of him, and it was time to take control. He just needed to get a statement from Nick about what happened today and get back to the station.

Taking in a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Sam closed the door behind him, thinking through what he was going to say. Apologizing definitely wasn't one of his strengths. He tried to sound as casual as possible. Looking down, he placed his left hand in his pocket, clearing his throat before he spoke. "I'm uh, I'm sorry for how I came off just now. I just need you to tell me about what happened at the scene today, and I'll be on my way."

Nick simply nodded in response.

Sam grabbed his notepad and pen and began his questioning, jotting down the officer's answers as quickly as possible. Nick gave a very detailed account of his actions that day, along with those of Oliver and the shooter. Sam noted that his story matched up exactly with Oliver's statement, which definitely made his job easier.

Sam thanked Nick, starting to leave.

There was just one more question that had been nagging him. He paused, knowing it wasn't professional to ask and also knowing that he may not like the answer. He just couldn't stop himself from asking it.

"When you woke up from surgery… I was in the waiting room. The nurse called for McNally. Wouldn't Peck, your girlfriend, be the first person you would want to see?"

Nick felt anger slowly creep into his veins. "Sir, with all due respect, I'm not sure that's any of your business."

Nick's less than informative response annoyed Sam. His jaw clenched, and he fired back. "You're right, Officer Collins. If you want to cheat on your girlfriend with McNally, that's none of my concern."

"First of all, _Detective_, maybe you should have all the facts before throwing out accusations. Again, it's not any of your business, but Gail and I broke up."

Sam laughed sarcastically, raising his eyebrows. "Well it sure didn't take you long to get over that, did it? How long ago did you break up? A day ago? Two? And now McNally's your rebound, huh?" Sam's temper had completely taken over. "Oh wait- or was it that you and Andy were hooking up while you were undercover and you finally decided you should probably break up with your _girlfriend _so you and Andy could take your little relationship public? Which is it?"

Nick was furious. He fought the urge to punch this man in the face. His hands were balled into fists, and he was shaking. He tried to steady his voice, but was rather unsuccessful.

"I have _no_ idea what Andy could have ever possibly seen in you, I really don't. But I'm _done_ pretending to be okay with you. First of all, _you_ have a girlfriend right now. So why are you even asking me about Andy? How would your girlfriend feel if she knew you were asking me all of these questions about her? I bet it would upset her, but then again, you never care who you hurt, do you?

"I was there for Andy after you broke her heart the first time- when you told her you would never give her up without a fight, and then you dumped her in a parking lot the very second things got tough. I watched her hurting day after day because of you. Then I watched her get stronger and start to move past it- start to smile again. You couldn't stand it, could you? You couldn't stand that maybe she could be happy without you, so you made some grand gesture, saying that you loved her, begging for her to take you back."

Suddenly feeling discomfort from his wounds, Nick's body stiffened.

"She made a decision for herself and put her career first. She spent the whole first half of her time undercover missing you, worrying about you. It was all she talked about. Then she finally started to be in the moment, smiling and laughing and enjoying herself again. Then we get back, and you had jumped into bed with someone else- after you made this big deal about how you would wait for her. So I watched her heart get ripped out of her chest once again, and once again, I helped to pick up the pieces."

"I don't know what game it is that you think you are playing, but I'm not going to stand by and watch you keep hurting her over and over. You are toxic, and you are destroying her. If you _ever_ actually cared about her, you would leave her alone, and actually let her move on."

Nick lowered his voice, but made sure Sam was looking him directly in the eyes before he continued. "I don't know what it is she and I have yet, but I know one thing for sure. I will _never_ treat her the way you have, and I could _never _hurt her as much as you have. That I know for sure."

Sam was completely stunned. He hadn't really heard Collins raise his voice before, so this caught him totally off guard. He was still trying to process all of the things that had been said when his thoughts were cut short.

Nick spoke firmly and with finality. "We are done here. Get out."

* * *

Andy was so exhausted after her exchange with Sam in the hallway that she had to get some coffee. Maybe some caffeine would give her the boost she needed to get through the rest of the day. She was slowly walking back, warm cup in hand, when she heard what sounded like a man yelling. Intrigued, she followed the sound to Nick's room, recognizing his voice the second she got close enough.

Peeking through the window, Andy could see the darkness in Nick's eyes and the tightness in his jaw. She watched as he continued to carry on what appeared to be a fierce, rather one-sided argument. She had never seen Nick so angry before. All she could see of Sam were his crossed arms and defensive stance.

She pressed her ear against the door, trying desperately to make out the muffled words, but almost as if he knew she was listening, Nick had lowered his voice. When Andy no longer heard anything coming from the room, she moved back from the door, afraid she would be discovered.

Seconds later, Sam entered the hallway.

He met Andy's eyes almost immediately, trying desperately to convey some sort of silent message. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He looked almost apologetic, maintaining eye contact for several moments. She searched his eyes for some meaning or explanation, but came up short. He pursed his lips together and let out a short sigh before he turned and walked away, never saying a word.

Flustered from yet another perplexing interaction with her ex, Andy closed her eyes and exhaled weakly. Every encounter with this man left her with more questions than answers. She wanted to know what he was thinking behind his facade of dark, mysterious silence and sarcasm. She wondered if he still had any feelings for her, and if he had the same pang in his chest that she felt when he walked away.

A nurse rushed past Andy, the door slamming behind her. Andy's stomach dropped. Nick. Although he was awake, he wasn't completely out of the woods yet. He was in danger of several complications as a result of his injury and subsequent surgery. Andy tried to peek through the window once again, but the nurse had closed the curtain.

Andy wasn't sure how much more she could take. The day had been a constant, unending roller coaster of emotions. Her insides felt completely raw and her body so heavy that she barely had the energy to hold herself up.

She leaned her back against the wall and slid to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. She silently pleaded for the nurse to leave soon and for Nick to be okay. She _needed _him to be okay.

When the young nurse finally reappeared in the hallway, Andy was so deep in her thoughts she didn't even notice.

"Miss?"

Andy looked up. "Yes?"

"You can visit with him for a few minutes, but visiting hours will be over soon. His pulse and blood pressure are way too high. I'm not sure what happened with his last visitor, but please try to keep him calm. He is still recovering from a very serious surgery. He cannot get that upset again, or I'll have to restrict visitors. I hope you understand."

Andy nodded politely, thanking her. She pushed through the door, anxious to see Nick again. Relief replaced her nervousness about the kiss they had shared earlier. His face was still flushed, but she much preferred that over the pallid skin she fearfully observed on the gurney earlier that day.

Nick greeted Andy with a full and genuine smile. He was a bit apprehensive, curious to know how she felt about him, but more than anything, he just wanted her beside him. Her presence comforted him, making him feel safe and complete.

Nick began to speak. "Andy…"

Andy was so tired of talking. There were so many separate emotions coursing through her, she couldn't make sense of anything. All she knew for sure was that she was happy to be here with him, whatever that meant. She didn't want to "over think it," as she had been accused of so many times before. She decided this time to stop thinking and go with what she felt.

"Shh…" she whispered, gently placing her index finger to his lips.

She carefully crawled into the small open space in bed beside him, softly molding her body to his. She was painstakingly cautious, afraid that one wrong move could hurt him. She rested her head against his chest, and he enveloped her in his arms, pulling her close. He inhaled the ambrosial scent of her hair, letting the heavenly aroma fill his lungs. Calmness and deep gratification washed over him, melting away all of the fear, anger, and most of all, his pain.

Nick kissed the top of Andy's head, so incredibly grateful for her in that moment. He slowly stroked her hair, relishing the feeling of the soft strands as they slipped through his fingers. Nick savored the warmth and contentment surrounding him.

Their eyes closed as the two held each other close. For the first time that day, they both felt at peace. Their breathing slowed, and they gradually succumbed to the sleep their bodies so desperately craved.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: We are moving, so it is getting harder to write often. I promise I will do the best I can to keep updating regularly! I appreciate your reviews, favorites, and follows so much. You guys keep me interested in telling this story. Thank you so much! Much love! Hope you enjoy.

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

* * *

Searing pain jolted Nick awake. Andy was gone, and he was alone in his room. It was dark, and he had no idea how long he had been out. He jammed the nurse call button repeatedly.

A middle-aged woman with cat and dog-covered scrubs appeared at his bedside. She reminded him somewhat of his mother with a similar hairstyle and kind, green eyes. She smiled warmly at him.

"Good morning. I'm sorry I had to make your girlfriend leave earlier. You two were so cute cuddling that I let her stay a while past visiting hours. I had to make her leave when I checked all of your vitals a few hours ago."

Nick didn't correct her mistake. After all, he had no idea what his relationship was with Andy at this point.

He absent-mindedly readjusted his position, his face crumpling as agony tore through his legs.

She placed a sympathetic hand on his arm.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. It's been long enough I can give you more pain medicine. I'll do that right now, okay?"

He nodded through clenched teeth.

Nick had imagined being shot or killed on a daily basis when he was in Afghanistan. While on tour, he had completely accepted his duty, and his possible fate. That acceptance had helped him get through each day in a dangerous warzone without paralyzing fear.

Things were different now. He saw a real future for himself- one where he definitely had something to lose. Yesterday had completely terrified him.

To be honest, though, this change in his mindset hadn't really taken place until after his time spent undercover with Andy. Sure, he had liked spending time with Gail and enjoyed her company (most of the time). Somehow, though, things with Andy were just different. When he was pretending to be her boyfriend, it helped him to see an alternative kind of relationship. They may have been just acting, but much of it felt real. It allowed him to envision a happily ever after with someone- something that hadn't been a priority in his life before and something that was definitely worth fighting for.

The medicine began to work its way through his body, gradually easing the pain until he was finally able to relax. He wished Andy was back beside him, but before long, he drifted off again out of consciousness.

* * *

Andy was so grateful that she had the day off. She was anxious to go back to the hospital to check on Nick. It had been 6 long hours since she had seen him last. She would've stayed all night if the nurse hadn't asked her to leave.

Once she got home, sleep had not come easily. She was definitely tired enough, but nightmares kept startling her awake, sweat covering her skin and adrenaline racing through her veins. She wasn't sure her hands would ever stop shaking. She was only too happy to get out of bed where the haunting visions she'd seen in her dreams couldn't reach her.

She stood in the shower, the hot stream of water beating down on her neck. The warm, constant pressure soothed her tired and aching body. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours, but one part stood out to her as she rinsed away the previous day.

She could still feel Nick's lips on hers. She ran a finger across her bottom lip, remembering the electric sensation and feeling the same heat she had felt then. He had kissed her so many times on assignment together, but this kiss was entirely different. This kiss was real, vulnerable. Andy could feel the deep affection Nick had for her through his touch.

She knew she still had some raw, unresolved feelings when it came to Sam, but she definitely felt something for Nick, too. She cared about him a lot, and after yesterday, she couldn't deny that there was real chemistry between them.

Andy had never had a relationship that was built on such a strong friendship before. It would be a first, but maybe a step in the right direction. She needed some stability in her life, and maybe this was the answer.

She would be lying if she didn't admit it scared her, too. What if it didn't end well? She would have another ex to contend with at work each day, but more than that, she would lose her best friend. That thought terrified her.

A glance of her watch reminded Andy of what she wanted most- to see Nick. She finished getting ready as quickly as she could, applying her cotton candy lip gloss and taking one last look in the mirror before heading out.

* * *

She was so excited to see Nick when she got to the hospital, Andy didn't knock before eagerly bursting through the door. She wasn't prepared for what she saw. Two nurses were in the process of changing Nick's wound dressings. It was gruesome, and much more than Andy could stomach. She felt a wave of nausea hit, and she abruptly turned away from the gory scene.

"I'm sorry, I'll come back when you're done," she half-whispered, quickly making her way out of the suddenly stifling room.

Nick called after her "Andy, wait...," but she was already gone.

Andy leaned against the wall in the hallway trying to calm her stomach. She took slow, deep breaths, desperately trying to regain her composure.

She had seen plenty of awful things on her job, but seeing Nick like that was more than Andy could handle. She knew he was hurt badly, but somehow when he was all bandaged up with blankets covering him, she could pretend it wasn't that bad.

The stark reality finally started to sink in. Nick was severely injured, and it was probably going to be a long and agonizing road to recovery for him.

Just one day ago, he was strong and healthy. This was yet another reminder of how life could change dramatically in an instant. Andy had always known this was a dangerous job, but the events of the last year had certainly hit that point home.

* * *

Nick's body was exposed, the nurses working on cleaning his wounds and incisions and bandaging him up again when Andy had come in.

The look on her face had torn at something deep inside him. She couldn't hide her disgust upon seeing him. He had repelled her. How was he going to come back from that?

Completely embarrassed and feeling vulnerable, he punched his bed in frustration. It was emasculating enough to be weak and confined to a hospital bed, dependent on others for even the most simple of tasks. Now Andy had seen him laid bare, with his ugly wounds on display.

When the nurses finished up, they draped his blankets back over him. Neither one said a word, but one gave him a sympathetic nod before making her way out the door.

Nick closed his eyes. Even the nurses felt sorry for him. This was not how he imagined it at all.

He heard footsteps coming towards him, but he was afraid to look up. He didn't want to see the disgust or, even worse, the pity that was inevitably painted across Andy's face.

She grabbed his hand and attempted to make eye contact. He could feel that her fingers were trembling. He pulled his hand from hers, focusing on some distant point in the corner of the room, refusing to meet her eyes.

Andy's breathing grew shallower as she felt Nick pulling away from her. She couldn't ignore the heaviness she felt in her chest from his rejection. She tried to speak through the lump in her throat.

"Nick…"

Her words came up short. She wasn't sure what caused his sudden change in demeanor, so she didn't really know what to say.

He spoke, still without looking at her. There was an icy edge to his voice, one that he had never directed toward her before.

"I get it. You're repulsed, disgusted. Just say it."

She was caught off guard. "What?"

He finally met her gaze, his eyes filled with hostility. "I saw your face, Andy. You couldn't even look at me."

Andy studied him. His face was covered in stubble, his hair messy, unkempt. His jaw was set into a hard line and his lips pressed together. She was so attracted to him in that moment. There was something real and sexy about him not looking perfect.

She slid into bed next to him and cupped his unshaven face in her hands, demanding his attention. Eying him intently, she leaned in, closing her eyes at the moment she pressed her lips to his. He hesitated at first, but then his mouth opened gently, and he kissed her back with more force. It was like a tidal wave swept over him, and all he could concentrate on was pulling her closer, his fingers sliding through her soft strands of hair to cradle her head. She kissed him once more before gently pulling away. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she embraced him tightly until he returned the gesture. When they released each other, she noticed that his expression had softened.

"Nick, I'm so sorry for how I reacted." She grabbed a hold of his hand with both of hers as she continued to speak. "It was awful to see how badly you were hurt. I just wasn't prepared for it, that's all. I had convinced myself that you were okay and that it wasn't that bad."

He looked down while he absorbed her words, trying to accept her explanation.

She paused, deciding whether or not to continue.

"About what happened yesterday…"

Nick looked back up at her when she paused.

"…I've been thinking about it a lot, I mean, as much as there was time to."

He was getting anxious waiting for her to get to the point. He laced his fingers in between hers and squeezed, unconsciously hoping that his touch would sway the direction of this conversation.

She continued. "Anyway, I really like spending time with you. It's just you're so important to me right now. You're my best friend."

Nick closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. There was the "f word". He could tell where this conversation was headed, and he wasn't happy about it.

"I'm just nervous. I mean, what if it doesn't end well? I don't want to lose my boyfriend and my best friend all at once. Neither of us have the best track record with dating people at work."

She squeezed his hand until he opened his eyes. She spoke with emotion behind her words. "Nick, you have been the bright spot in my life for the last eight months. When my world turned upside down, you were the one person that made everything better. I can't even begin to tell you how much of a difference you have made in my life. You made me laugh when I wasn't sure how I was going to make it through the day. You were always there when I needed you." A single tear ran down her face.

Nick interrupted. "Andy, please don't get upset. This is a good thing, I promise. I'm not going anywhere." He leaned his forehead against hers and placed his hand on her check.

She pulled back, trying desperately to make him understand where she was coming from. "You say that now, but it'll just be a matter of time. Eventually you will get sick of me and want to end things, or worse, you'll find someone else you would rather be with. If we are just best friends, I'll still have you in my life- no matter what." All of the residual pain from her last two breakups crept back up to the surface. She couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

His heart ached as he watched her. He wasn't the only one in that hospital room with deep wounds. He wished he could erase all of her pain. He wanted them to start completely fresh, but the reality was it would probably take a long time before she would trust him not to hurt her like the two men before him.

"Andy, it's true, I can't predict the future. But I can't ever imagine getting sick of you, and I definitely would never cheat on you. I know you've been hurt, and I would do anything to take that pain away from you if I could."

He dug deep to find the courage to tell her how he felt. He knew he had to lay it all out there if he wanted any hope of changing her mind.

"Andy, I want to be with you. I love everything about you- your smile, the smell of your hair, your laugh. I love the way you feel wrapped in my arms. I love your sense of humor, and I love the way you care so much about everyone around you. I think we could have something great together, and I only think it would add to our friendship. I think sometimes you have to take risks in life in order to really live. I'm asking you to take a leap of faith- to trust me. Please, Andy, if you feel for me even a tenth of what I feel for you, just trust me."

He could see all the gears turning in her head as she listened to him. He was waiting for her to disagree, to argue her point again.

Andy searched Nick's dark eyes. A smile came to her lips as she spoke. "Ok." Her words were careful, but honest. "I trust you."

Nick enveloped her in his arms, hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe. He rested his chin on her shoulder, his eyes closed. It felt like the beginning of something wonderful. He smiled at the thought and concentrated on holding her closer. In that moment there was nowhere in the world he would rather be.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update. We are spending all hours of the day/night getting our old house fixed up to sell and unpacking our new one, so there isn't much time to write! Thanks for your patience with me! I promise I will update a lot more often once we get all settled in.

A lot of you have asked about why I have been writing Sam as being such a jerk. Hopefully I will redeem him some, here. I do think he's a jerk a lot lately in the show, too. I love him, but I think he's got some personal growth to do for sure. I think Nick has his act together more than Sam for the most part.

Thanks for the follows, reviews, and favorites. I just recently figured out I could respond to reviews (I know, I'm usually more tech savvy than that!), so I will be trying to respond more when I can. I really appreciate you all, and I hope you enjoy.

*I do not own the rights to Rookie Blue.

P.S. Anyone else enjoying the recent Nick/Andy scenes as much as I am? So adorable I can't handle it! He may not have the dark, mysterious part to him, but he is a sweet, funny, thoughtful guy! Also, I really want to know what he wrote on the inside of his vest. Anyone else?

* * *

Andy yawned as the Keurig in the break room spewed steaming hot coffee into her cup. It had been one week since Nick had been shot, and she was spending every free minute she had away from work at the hospital. She wanted to be with Nick as much as possible, but the back and forth was definitely starting to wear her down.

"Trouble sleeping?"

Sam Swarek appeared in front of her, leaning against the counter with a curious smile on his face. He looked almost giddy.

Andy stirred in sugar and cream before looking up. She shrugged.

"I just haven't been home, so I haven't slept much."

She watched his smile fade as he began to surmise where she had been spending so much of her time.

"Right." He cleared his throat. "How is Officer Collins?"

He purposely used Nick's last name in an attempt to maintain some distance.

Andy smiled warmly. "He's good. He's really good. I mean, considering…"

She fidgeted with her hands.

"… He's making good progress."

Sam faked a smile as best he could. "Good, glad to hear it." He nodded curtly and made his way through the break room doorway before Andy could say another word.

She grabbed her coffee and headed to Parade, wondering to herself if things with Sam could ever truly be normal again.

Sliding into a seat at an empty table, Andy looked around the room. She still hadn't gotten used to being at work without Nick. His absence nagged at her, a constant reminder of where he was and what had happened.

Chloe sat down in the chair beside her.

"Hey, Andy! How's Nick?"

Andy kept her voice low, not wanting everyone in the room to hear the conversation.

"He's doing pretty well. The doctors say he's progressing well."

Chloe smiled. "Anything else we should know?" She raised her eyebrows in anticipation.

Andy shook her head. "Nope, nothing." Abruptly, she repositioned her body to face forward, avoiding eye contact with her nosy friend. She was a terrible liar, and she didn't want Chloe picking up on any nonverbal queues. When Sergeant Best appeared at the podium, she was all too grateful.

Frank told everyone about a suspect identified in multiple homicide cases. They saw a pattern in the previous murders, and they wanted to apprehend this guy before he could hurt anyone else. Bringing him in was the division's top priority.

He continued, "Alright everyone, your assignments are on the board. Epstein, you cover the tip line, and McNally, you'll be teamed up with Swarek today. Remember guys, if you see anyone that matches the description, call for backup right away. He is likely armed and dangerous. Serve, protect, and let's catch this guy."

Andy was caught off guard with her assignment, and from the look on Marlo's face, she was, too. Andy tried to keep a poker face as she made her way past everyone to the Detective's office. She had gotten as far as the hallway when Gail stepped in front of her.

"I heard you've been spending a lot of time with Nick." Gail didn't try to mask her unhappiness.

Andy fidgeted with her notepad. "Yeah. He's doing well. I'll, uh, tell him you said hi."

Desperately trying to end the conversation there, she attempted to walk around her coworker. Gail stepped out and blocked her.

"Maybe I needed to be more clear. Exactly _why_ are you spending so much time with him?"

Andy really did not want to get into this in the middle of the station. She hedged, trying to avoid conflict.

"He needs a friend to visit him and keep him company, and I'm probably his best friend here." She purposely used the "friend" word as much as possible.

Gail didn't believe Andy, but she decided it was too early to call her out on anything. She crossed her arms as she spoke, making sure to send Andy a knowing look. "Tell him I said hi." With that, she turned on her heel and walked the other direction.

Andy let out a sigh of relief. She knew she would have to tell Gail what was going on with her and Nick soon, but she needed more time.

When she made it to the top of the stairs, Sam was sitting on his desk waiting for her. He smiled a genuinely warm smile.

"Hey."

She smiled back. "Hey."

"Nash is working another important case today, so I asked if you could back me up. Is that okay?"

Andy was surprised that he would choose spending the day with her over his girlfriend, especially with the way he had been acting lately, but it wasn't really like she could refuse. She decided to try to make the best of it. "Yeah, sure."

"Good. I have a CI that says he thinks our suspect is staying at a friend's loft on Spring Street. We'll head over there and then grab him when he tries to leave." He stood, gesturing for her to follow him out to the car.

When they got to the parking lot, he smirked at her. "I'll drive."

"Of course," she mumbled under her breath.

* * *

Andy was uncomfortable with the silence in the car, but she didn't want to be the first to speak. She kept quiet until Sam parked in front of the brick building, removing the keys from the ignition.

"So what, now we just wait? It could be all day before he leaves."

Sam was slightly annoyed by her question, but he tried not to let it bother him. "Do you have a better idea, McNally? I'm afraid if we ambush him, he'll find a way to sneak out or someone is likely to get hurt. Just hold tight. I've got another team on the other side of the building, so we should be able to surprise him, catching him when he leaves."

"Ok." She faced out the passenger window, her eyes focused on the glass door of the building.

He could tell that she was uncomfortable being alone with him. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much, but it did. It felt like she wasn't herself around him anymore. She had a much tougher exterior when interacting with him now. All of her responses were thought out, guarded. Her smiles didn't reach her eyes. Sam longed for her to be genuine and carefree with him again. He missed that part of her more than he wanted to admit.

He was unable to stop himself from testing the waters while they were alone in the car together. There weren't a lot of times where it was just the two of them anymore.

"What's the matter, McNally? Can't stand the thought of being around me that long? Am I really that bad?"

"I don't know, Sam. I guess that depends on the day." There was hopelessness in her words.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Look, McNally, I'm sorry for the other night in the hospital. I really am. I just didn't want to see you get hurt."

She turned toward him, disgust and disbelief written across her face.

He looked down before making eye contact with her. His expression became very serious, his eyes dark. He paused, replaying the scene that had been haunting his memory. "Fine, I was upset. I just wasn't expecting to see you and Collins…together. I don't know, something inside of me just… snapped." He remembered how she looked in the hallway, fragile and broken. "Andy, I really am sorry."

She searched his eyes for some sign of heartfelt remorse and was surprised when she actually found it.

She pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thanks."

He thought maybe her walls were starting to come down a bit, and the idea of it gave him hope for a real, honest conversation with her. There was something he desperately wanted to know. He tried to ask her as casually as possible.

"So this thing with you and Collins- is it serious?"

She contemplated his question for a moment, and he hoped that she wasn't censoring her answer.

"I don't know yet. He's my best friend. I can tell him absolutely anything, and I can be myself around him. We enjoy spending time together. I never have to try to guess how he feels because he _tells _me. I know it's still early, but I'm hopeful."

Sam studied her face as she spoke. Her beautiful, brown eyes were always filled with such depth and emotion. He could see that she definitely had feelings for Nick. Just seeing the warmth in her eyes as she talked about him made it difficult for Sam to breathe.

He had been wishing for a different response, but he was happy that she at least felt she could be open with him again. He missed talking to her like this.

Sam chose his words carefully. He wanted to respond with the same amount of honesty he had been given, but he also didn't want the closeness they were sharing to end.

"I really want you to be happy." He closed his eyes, silently wishing that _he_ was the one who made her happy.

He was lost in his thoughts when she came back with a similar question.

"What about you? Is it serious with Marlo?"

Somehow he hadn't expected her to ask that.

"No." He tried his best to explain. "I mean, she's great. Everything's good. I guess I'm just not sure I'd say it's serious."

Upon hearing Sam's answer, Andy couldn't help but feel sorry for Marlo. She could see this probably wasn't going to turn out well, and Marlo probably had no idea. She knew firsthand the heartbreak of losing this man.

She furrowed her brow. "Does she know that?"

Somehow she could make him feel like the bad guy even if it wasn't her in the relationship with him. "Yes, she and I are on the same page. Not everyone needs to have a fairytale, whirlwind romance, McNally. Some of us are more realistic."

Her eyes narrowed. "Right." She rotated so she was facing the window, her back to him.

Andy bit the inside of her mouth. His words had stung, and she wasn't sure exactly why. She pitied him for his cynical attitude toward relationships. Without love, what else was there? Things hadn't worked out for her and Sam in the end, but for a while they were definitely happy and in love- at least she thought they had been.

After this exchange with Sam, she felt even more confident about her new beginning with Nick. The biggest problem with her and Sam had been communication, and that was something Nick was much better with.

Andy's phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out to find a text from Nick.

_Miss you. Can't wait to see you tonight. I have exciting news._

She smiled as she responded.

_Miss you too. See you soon._

Sam couldn't keep himself from trying to look over her shoulder. He couldn't read the text, but he could see the huge grin on Andy's face, and that was enough for the detective to know who it was.

Silence filled the car as they both stared at the building's entrance.

Thoughts kept racing through Sam's mind, and he couldn't silence them. Ever since seeing her kissing Nick at the hospital, he hadn't been able to get Andy out of his mind. He couldn't handle her being with anyone else- she was supposed to be with him. He was trying so hard to move on with his life, but the truth was he just wanted one thing. She was the beginning and the end for him, and no matter how much he tried to fight it, that was the truth.

He wanted so badly to touch her, to pull her into his arms. He was fighting the urge to tell her how he felt. He knew it was awful timing and there were so many reasons not to, but he couldn't stop himself. Now that he was sure what he wanted, he didn't want to waste any more time.

"Andy…"

She didn't move.

This time he spoke louder and with more urgency. "Andy, please…" He placed his hand on her shoulder.

She turned to face him, looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. His heart ached as he studied her. He was beginning to lose his nerve, but he knew he had to get it off his chest.

He cleared his throat, pausing while he tried to put the words together the right way. "That night in the parking lot at the Penny…"

She squeezed her eyes shut. It was one of the most awful days she could remember. She didn't want to remember it.

His chest constricted, and he felt a sharp pain as he watched her recall the event.

"That was one of the worst mistakes I've ever made. I would give anything to take it back… "

Andy was dumfounded listening to his words. Of all of the things she would expect from Sam right now, this was not one of them.

She was trying to process what he was saying when a voice on her radio startled them both.

"We've got a visual on the suspect. He just left the building. He's headed your way."

Sam and Andy immediately exited the car and drew their guns, the familiar adrenaline rushing through both of their veins. Sam stopped her as Andy proceeded toward the entrance.

"You take the lead, McNally. I trust you. You've got this."

She grinned, knowing that no matter what was going on in her personal life, she could always count on this. Her career was what got her out of bed everyday, and there was no substitute in the world for the rush of an impending takedown like this.


End file.
